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A review by dark_reader
The Nameless City by Faith Erin Hicks
4.0
What often stands out for me in a graphic novel is the pacing. There is something about the frequency of visual beats that, for me, will make or break a graphic novel. If they come too fast you just gloss over the panels, and if too slow it hurts the narrative. Here, Faith Hicks got it just right. The visual storytelling is engaging, easy to follow thanks to her fine art, and appropriate for all ages. I found the story to be only a little light on depth, likely very suitable for young readers. There is some violence (including murder) but it is never graphic. The politics are accessible, as is the culture that unfolds organically through the experiences of the main character.
And the art! I can't begin to imagine how long it took for her to draw all of those roof tiles. Set in a fictional asian-themed jam-packed city, there is a lot of dense environment to compose. She may have regretted the choice well before starting the second book. The character drawings are a distinct style; kind of squat and light on detail, but not so much that you cannot instantly distinguish characters, even though a large number of them (Kaidu and his fellow student soldiers) sport identical garb.
This (and its first sequel; the third and expected last volume is not yet birthed at the time of this review) is an easy one-sitting read but is also suitable to put down at a natural story break and pick up again at any elapsed time.
And the art! I can't begin to imagine how long it took for her to draw all of those roof tiles. Set in a fictional asian-themed jam-packed city, there is a lot of dense environment to compose. She may have regretted the choice well before starting the second book. The character drawings are a distinct style; kind of squat and light on detail, but not so much that you cannot instantly distinguish characters, even though a large number of them (Kaidu and his fellow student soldiers) sport identical garb.
This (and its first sequel; the third and expected last volume is not yet birthed at the time of this review) is an easy one-sitting read but is also suitable to put down at a natural story break and pick up again at any elapsed time.